Patriot and union vol 2 no. 58

Affairs of Utah Territory.—The Mormons.
Correspondence of the Journal of Commerce.
WASHINGTON, June 27.
Many persons are puzzled to know why Brig-ham Young still remains as Governor of Utah, after the term for which he was appointed has expired. The law establishing the Territorial Government of Utah is singular in this respect. The Governor is appointed for four years, and Brigham Young was appointed in 1845, and, in virtue of the law has, for three years, held over.
The law provides that the executive power in the Territory of Utah shall be vested in a Gov-ernor who shall hold his office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed by the Presi-dent of the United States. Accordingly Brig-ham Young remains in power. He has not been removed, and no one has been appointed in his place.
The Utah question is a difficult one to deal with. The constitutional power of the govern-ment is limited in extent. It has nothing to do with the religious and domestic institutions of Utah, however wicked they may be. The indig-nation which has been excited by recent and authentic statements of Mormon iniquities, can have none but a moral effect. It cannot justify a war against Mormonism per se.
The authority of the Executive government, in the matter, is confined to the due execution of the laws of the United States in the Territo-ry. In a case of forcible resistance to the laws, the President may exert the military force of the country. No case of domestic insurrection has yet been presented, and therefore military power cannot be called upon to suppress it.
The difficulty is of a grave nature, and one that was not anticipated by the Constitution. Here we have an organization of a politico-reli-gious character, which is under the control of one man, who, whether he be divested of federal authority or not, will remain as the "Prophet, Prince, and King" of his community. He ex-ercises an absolute dominion over his people. He controls juries, and therefore can obstruct the administration of justice. His Legislative Assembly pass laws which are dictated by him, and will continue to do it, even when superseded as Governor.
A new Governor will take from him the power of commissioning all officers who shall be ap-pointed to office under the laws of the Territory, and deprive him of the prestige of federal au-thority, but still, he will be King over the Governor.
It must be remembered that, in dealing with Mormons at present, we deal not with Ameri-cans, but foreigners, who have no sympathy with our institutions. Most of the Mormons are English, Welsh, Scotch, and German, who, upon landing on our shores, directed their steps to Utah, and know no institutions except those of the Mormons.
There should have been a preventive of this difficulty, through some modification of our laws. It may not be too late for preventing an aggra-vation of the evil.
The mischief that has been done is attributa-ble to the ultra course of the Know Nothings, who, by identifying their principles, some of which were commendable, with a premature struggle for political power, forced the democra-tic party into a position of antagonism with them.
These excited, in the country, prior to the organization of the Know Nothing party, and especially with the democracy, a strong senti-ment in favor of regulating and restraining the influx of an uncongenial and mischievous for-eign population.
Mormonism and its iniquitous practices and injurious influences are not subject to the con-trol of the General Government. But a Chris-tian and republican governor may be substituted for Brigham Young and the laws of the United States may be enforced in the Territory. More-over, the law establishing the Territory may be repealed, and the Territory itself may be divided among contiguous States and Territories. We may refuse to admit the Territory into the Union as a State. We have no other power over the matter.
The very first step has yet to be taken—to send to Utah a fit man, or any man, to supersede Governor Young. Among the hundreds of ap-plicants for missions, whom the Union pronoun-ces to be "well qualified" for the place they so importunately seek, there is not one who offers to take the place of Brigham Young No fit man for the post has been yet found who will accept it.
A new dispositon of the army is to be made with reference to the necessity of sending a large force to Utah in aid of the new governor's authority.

Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.

Affairs of Utah Territory.—The Mormons.
Correspondence of the Journal of Commerce.
WASHINGTON, June 27.
Many persons are puzzled to know why Brig-ham Young still remains as Governor of Utah, after the term for which he was appointed has expired. The law establishing the Territorial Government of Utah is singular in this respect. The Governor is appointed for four years, and Brigham Young was appointed in 1845, and, in virtue of the law has, for three years, held over.
The law provides that the executive power in the Territory of Utah shall be vested in a Gov-ernor who shall hold his office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed by the Presi-dent of the United States. Accordingly Brig-ham Young remains in power. He has not been removed, and no one has been appointed in his place.
The Utah question is a difficult one to deal with. The constitutional power of the govern-ment is limited in extent. It has nothing to do with the religious and domestic institutions of Utah, however wicked they may be. The indig-nation which has been excited by recent and authentic statements of Mormon iniquities, can have none but a moral effect. It cannot justify a war against Mormonism per se.
The authority of the Executive government, in the matter, is confined to the due execution of the laws of the United States in the Territo-ry. In a case of forcible resistance to the laws, the President may exert the military force of the country. No case of domestic insurrection has yet been presented, and therefore military power cannot be called upon to suppress it.
The difficulty is of a grave nature, and one that was not anticipated by the Constitution. Here we have an organization of a politico-reli-gious character, which is under the control of one man, who, whether he be divested of federal authority or not, will remain as the "Prophet, Prince, and King" of his community. He ex-ercises an absolute dominion over his people. He controls juries, and therefore can obstruct the administration of justice. His Legislative Assembly pass laws which are dictated by him, and will continue to do it, even when superseded as Governor.
A new Governor will take from him the power of commissioning all officers who shall be ap-pointed to office under the laws of the Territory, and deprive him of the prestige of federal au-thority, but still, he will be King over the Governor.
It must be remembered that, in dealing with Mormons at present, we deal not with Ameri-cans, but foreigners, who have no sympathy with our institutions. Most of the Mormons are English, Welsh, Scotch, and German, who, upon landing on our shores, directed their steps to Utah, and know no institutions except those of the Mormons.
There should have been a preventive of this difficulty, through some modification of our laws. It may not be too late for preventing an aggra-vation of the evil.
The mischief that has been done is attributa-ble to the ultra course of the Know Nothings, who, by identifying their principles, some of which were commendable, with a premature struggle for political power, forced the democra-tic party into a position of antagonism with them.
These excited, in the country, prior to the organization of the Know Nothing party, and especially with the democracy, a strong senti-ment in favor of regulating and restraining the influx of an uncongenial and mischievous for-eign population.
Mormonism and its iniquitous practices and injurious influences are not subject to the con-trol of the General Government. But a Chris-tian and republican governor may be substituted for Brigham Young and the laws of the United States may be enforced in the Territory. More-over, the law establishing the Territory may be repealed, and the Territory itself may be divided among contiguous States and Territories. We may refuse to admit the Territory into the Union as a State. We have no other power over the matter.
The very first step has yet to be taken—to send to Utah a fit man, or any man, to supersede Governor Young. Among the hundreds of ap-plicants for missions, whom the Union pronoun-ces to be "well qualified" for the place they so importunately seek, there is not one who offers to take the place of Brigham Young No fit man for the post has been yet found who will accept it.
A new dispositon of the army is to be made with reference to the necessity of sending a large force to Utah in aid of the new governor's authority.